Earthshaker

Chapter 5

Chapter 5The parking lot of the main lodge at Secret Valley ski resort was wall-to-wall luxury cars. Nothing but Beamers, Mercedes, Jaguars, Rolls Royces, and Hummers as far as the eye could see. Lots of uniformed chauffeurs hanging around smoking and shooting the bull. Not a budget car in sight; not a hybrid except for my Toyota Highlander.

The main lot was so full, we had to park in an upper lot and walk down a hill to the lodge. Could've parked curbside if we'd brought Briar's cruiser, but I'd insisted on driving us in the Highlander. Better to arrive as civilians instead of announcing there was a cop in the house; maybe we could find out a few things before the sons of bitches burned all the records and hustled the senators and ambassadors into secret tunnels.

I'd even made Briar change into his civvies—a black suit and tie he kept only for funerals. As wound up as I was, as much as I'd rather have charged in like a bull and demolished the china shop, I at least had enough clarity to come up with a plan of attack for the three of us.

"So I'm the big shot." Duke smiled and slicked back his wavy black hair with one hand. "I like that."

"You're a record company executive," I said. "Mister..."

"Strayhorn," said Duke. "Reginald Strayhorn. And forget the music business. I'm in gold, not gold records."

"And you..." I hiked a thumb at Briar. "You're his bodyguard. I'll be his secretary."

"Whatever." Briar shot me a look.

"Got a problem with that?" I said.

"I'd never buy you as a secretary," said Briar.

"Good thing I don't have to convince you then."

"I'm just saying." Briar shrugged. "Security, maybe. We could both be security."

"Seriously?" I felt insulted. "I'm not the secretary type?"

"Secretary of brutality, maybe." Briar smirked.

"Guess I'd better get into my role, then." I punched his arm hard enough to get his attention. "How's that?"

Briar didn't flinch. "We're agreed then. Both of us are security. But let me do the talking. I'll be chief."

"I think the one of us who can throw rocks and trigger quakes with her super powers should be the chief." I punched him again. "I'm just saying."

Just then, Duke spoke up. "Should I ask about Aggie right off the bat?"

His question ended our little round of teasing. Ended that bit of nervous release and snapped me back fully to the gravity of the moment. "Let's play it by ear. Worry about getting us in the door first."

"Worry?" Duke tugged the collar of his black silk shirt and pushed between me and Briar, strutting out in front of us. "I've been the honored guest of the crown heads of the world. There isn't a high class soiree I can't talk my way into."

The main lodge at Secret Valley was huge—three sprawling floors of banquet halls, meeting rooms, restaurants, shops, and boutiques. A twelve-story hotel loomed at one end, its sleek glass and metal tower a counterpoint to the rough-hewn timbers of the alpine-style lodge.

The place was jumping when we entered the lobby. Lots going on other than the Divinities mixer. Though it was summer, and Secret Valley was busiest during ski season, the lodge was still bursting with activity.

Upscale teens hustled past carrying mountain bikes and skateboards; the place was geared toward extreme sports in the skiing off-season. Also geared toward illicit hookups for cheating spouses within a hundred-mile radius—close enough to drive to, far enough from home to get away with s**t. And of course, it was a hot spot for all manner of monkey business, drawing sneaks from as far away as Pittsburgh, D.C., and Baltimore. Secret Valley had a real outlaw, wink wink, look-the-other-way atmosphere; the name fit the place to a "T." It was no surprise Divinities Enterprises was having its party there.

They weren't exactly advertising it, though. We couldn't find a sign anywhere in the lobby pointing the way...also not a surprise if this was an exclusive high roller shindig.

Instead of spending the afternoon randomly barging into ballrooms, we decided to try the front desk. Trot out the undercover routine and see if it held up.

"Excuse me." Briar went in first, all business. "Can you tell us how to find the Divinities Enterprises meeting?"

The girl behind the timber counter was primped, plucked, padded, and perky. Had to be in her forties, maybe older, but she was prettied up like a doll baby lacking only a bow on top. Looked prettier from a distance, though—curly blonde Goldilocks hair, tanned face, body of a skinny teenager packed into a tight white pantsuit. Close up, I thought the hair looked like a wig, too perfectly shaped; the tan came from too much makeup, and the body was scrawny. Plus she smelled strongly of cigarette smoke.

But she couldn't have been nicer. "I'll be happy to direct you to the meeting." She said it with a grin revealing a city block of bright white teeth, all perfectly straight. "Just let me check the guest list. Name please?"

My hopes of an easy way in went up in cigarette smoke. We were going to have to play our cop access card sooner than I'd expected.

At least, that's what I thought until Duke stepped forward. "Strayhorn. Reginald Strayhorn." He said it grandly, with the proud elocution of an aristocrat and an overlay of flirtatious charm. "And you are...?" He reached for her hand.

She gave it to him. "Millicent." Smiled wider and bowed her head. "Millicent Kendall."

"Enchanté." Duke held on to her hand after he'd kissed it. "It is my very great pleasure to meet you, my dear."

"It's my pleasure as well, Mr. Strayhorn," said Millicent.

He kissed her hand once more, then slowly released it as if he were letting go of a flower. "Your boyfriend is an extraordinarily lucky man."

"Your girlfriend is lucky, too." Millicent raised an eyebrow. "Or would that be girlfriends plural?"

"I'll tell you everything, dear Millie," said Duke, "if only you will grace me with your telephone number."

Millicent tipped her head to one side and narrowed her eyes. Looked a little suspicious. "What's a nice guy like you doing with that Divinities bunch? You don't seem like the type."

"I'm not." Duke sighed and threw up his hands. "It's all business for me. I'm hoping to close a major deal this weekend. I wish I didn't have to be here at all." Duke looked distraught...then smiled. "At least that's what I wished before I met you."

Millicent giggled and pushed blonde curls behind her ears like a schoolgirl. "Why can't all men be more like you?"

"I was just asking myself the same question," said Duke, "about women being more like you."

While this went on, I looked at Briar, who raised his eyebrows and nodded his approval of Duke's technique. The old guy was smooth, that's for sure; I'd seen him in action many times with humans and nymphs alike at Cruel World.

"Okay, honey." Millicent scribbled on a notepad, then ripped off the page, flipped it over, and scribbled some more. "Here's your directions." She held up the note and flapped it in front of him. "And this..." She flipped the note and tapped it with one French-manicured fingernail. "...is my phone number. My cell phone number. Do you need directions for that, too?"

"Not at all, my dear." Duke slid the note from her hand. "No further guidance of any kind is necessary." He gave her a wink. "I know exactly what comes next."

Millicent giggled and fluttered her fingers over his forearm. "I'll bet you do."